PC cards are used in portable electronic devices such as, for example, laptop computers, palm top computers and personal digital assistants (PDA's) to add additional capabilities to such devices. A PC card which incorporates a radio may perform the dual operation of transmitting/receiving information from remote locations. For the radio to operate properly, an antenna is required to facilitate the transmission and reception of information.
In personal digital assistants and other portable electronic devices, the PC card is mounted within a card slot. Often times, this card slot is located on the side of the portable device. When a PC card with an antenna is inserted into the card slot, the antenna will protrude from the frame of the electronic device. To effectively transmit and receive information, the antenna must be placed in an extended position. While extended, the antenna may be struck by an object or a near by person. Striking the antenna may adversely affect the transmission/reception of information. Also, if the antenna is struck with enough force, damage to the antenna will result.
When the user is not transmitting or receiving information, the antenna and corresponding PC card are often removed from and stored outside of the portable electronic device. Thus, the user runs a risk of damaging the antenna by the continual insertion and removal of the PC card from the portable electronic device. Also, by constantly having to remove the PC card when not in use, the user runs the increased risk of losing the PC card.
Aside from being damaged during use or storage, or being lost, conventional antennas are also only capable of being rotated in one plane, or along a single axis. Thus, with conventional PC cards, the antenna will always protrude from the body of the portable device. In this fashion, damage to the antenna will almost certainly result.